Improving parametric Clarke and Wright algorithms by means of iterative empirically adjusted greedy heuristics

Abstract

Since Clarke and Wright proposed their well-known savings algorithm for solving the Capacitated Vehicle Routing Problem, several enhancements to the original savings formula have been recently proposed, in the form of parameterisations. In this paper we first propose to use Empirically Adjusted Greedy Heuristics to run these parameterized heuristics and we also consider the addition of new parameters. This approach is shown to improve the savings algorithms proposed in the literature. Moreover, we propose a new procedure which leads to even better solutions, based on what we call Iterative Empirically Adjusted Greedy Heuristics